Pet adoption has increasingly become the preferred method of acquiring a new pet. The familiar adage “Adopt, Don’t Shop” seems to have ‘hit home’ with pet lovers. News of the mistreatment of animals sold in pet stores and puppy mills has faced a serious backlash in the past decade. Adoption is the process of taking responsibility for a pet that was previously owned and either abandoned or released to a shelter. Being responsible for a pet requires a serious lifetime commitment and should be considered a privilege. Like having children, pets depend on you for all basic needs including food, shelter, exercise, emotional support and veterinary care. If for some reason a pet owner can no longer provide a suitable home, it should be the owner’s priority to find a safe and appropriate home for that pet.
In Alberta, reputable animal shelters ensure that adoptable pets and their respective families are compatible through a comprehensive adoption process. Adoption fees often include spaying/neutering, a full medical exam including vaccinations, microchipping, and the option of pet insurance. Interviews, questionnaires and personal home visits gather important information on the family’s lifestyle. Including history with pets, home environment, daily habits and values that will assist in ensuring the pet and new family are well-suited. The shelter will provide the family with information on why the pet was unwanted, what to expect in the first days to months of pet adoption, guidelines for pet care, specific behaviour training requests and follow-up calls to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the adoption. The goal of the adoption process is to ensure that the pet will remain in that new home forever.
Here is a list of a few of Edmonton and surrounding area’s rescue organizations. Please remember to do your research when choosing which organization is right for you. Although all rescues have a common goal and interest, they will differ in adoption policies, fees and follow-up care and assessments.
- Edmonton Humane Society
- AARCS
- Zoe’s Animal Rescue
- Second Chance Animal Rescue Society
- Paws in Need Animal Rescue
- Infinite Woofs Animal Rescue Society
- Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF)
- hart – Humane Animal Rescue Team
Written by: Breah Russell, CCR
